Emphasis on child safety for future stars in Turkish football

Gülhan Gündüz, who was appointed by FIFA as the "Protection and Diversity Manager" in the 2026 World Cup, came to Gaziantep for the seminar titled "Athlete Well-being and Child Protection" and made evaluations to the AA correspondent about the studies carried out in the field of athlete well-being and child protection in international football organizations and the practices in Türkiye.

Stating that athlete well-being and child protection are becoming increasingly important in world football, Gündüz said that Türkiye has a long history in this field.

Stating that a unit for child protection was established within the TFF in 2014 under the leadership of Fatih Terim, Gündüz stated that this step is an indication of an important vision.

Referring to similar structures within FIFA and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Gündüz stated that Türkiye's experience in this field contributes to international studies.

"Our children are more important to us, not the scores"

Emphasizing that the protection of children is one of the most important investments to be made in the future of football, Gündüz said:

"We love our children very much, we take care of them very well, and our children, not the scores, are more important to us. In this sense, we need to take the same stance again. Children are the raw material of football, so to speak. This factory cannot function without children. The better we take care of our children, the more resilient, back-bone players we will have, who fight like lions and are not afraid of anything."

Stating that children growing up in safe environments will contribute to the long-term development of Turkish football, Gündüz said, "It is not too long, it is possible for the entire showcase to change within 7 to 10 years, with a sustainable stance." he said.

Gündüz stated that football is not just about sporting success and that a human-centered approach should be adopted and said, "Turkish football is no longer a question of 'How much is this match?' It needs other visions beyond just saying. Football is played with the heart and the brain, but it is played with the most people. What if you win where you push people to the side and push them aside?” he said.